Cathars, Latin, Cathari, or possibly cattus, cat,
a common association for witches and heretics; Greek, katharoi, "pure
ones"; were Christian dualists in Western Europe which during the 13th
and 14th centuries seriously threatened the Catholic Church especially in
Southern France and Northern Italy. Although the origins of the sect seem
obscure, its doctrines were influenced by the Bogomils of Bulgaria. There
is a possibility that its dualism was a separate development or came from
inheritance. The Catholic Church also feared the Cathars possessed kowledge
of the bloodlines of Jesus which was
not in agreement with the orthodox teaching of the crucifixion. The Cathars
believed Mary Magdalene was the Grail Mother.

Members of the Cathars' inner circle were perfects who led a life of
strict asceticism and prayed the Lord's Prayer. Admission to the circle
was through the rite of consolamentum, an initiation service observed
especially among the Albigenses, on their
deathbeds. If their illness was not fatal, and they showed signs of recovery,
then starvation or poison was administered to prevent the person from committing
further frequent transgressions. Those so "consoled" saw themselves
as the only true Christians and denied this title to other Catholics.

Apparently the Cathars were a peaceful people. They believed in equality
of the sexes, which enraged the male-dominated church. Their society included
charity, initiating a welfare system that cared for the poor elderly, and
sick as well as establishing schools and hospitals. They practiced birth
control which brought all sorts of accusations down upon them.

An anthropological study conducted by E. Le Roy Ladurie, Montaillou (1975;
Eng 1978) described in some detail the lives of Cathars in a small southern
French village; and other recent surveys also raised questions as to just
how far these religious factors were entrenched in local social and political
conditions (e. g., the independence of local nobles); and did such factors
influences the growth of the Catharism.

The decline of Catharism in the 14th century appears to have been contributed
to the following factors: rivalry between the moderate and more radical
dualism factions; repression by the Inquisition; and the attractive devotion
practiced by Catholics of honoring St. Francis exhibited by the Franciscans.
A.G.H.